Mai Ghoussoub, who died unexpectedly on Saturday, was many things to many people. But in the world of letters she was perhaps best known as a director of Saqi Books, aptly described as "a fiercely independent publisher for writers of all places and peoples". They publish award-winning authors as diverse as Moris Farhi and Maggie Gee.

Originally formed to provide a focus for Arab culture, the publishing house gradually cast its net wider. More recently, in October 2005, they cemented their success by founding the Telegram imprint, designed to concentrate specifically on international fiction.

Born in Lebanon, Mai Ghoussoub received her BA in French literature from the American University of Beirut. She moved to London in 1979 where she later studied sculpture at Morley College and cofounded Saqi Books. She continued her activities as an artist, a writer and a publisher until the time of her death. Her work was featured in many exhibitions both internationally and in the UK, and she wrote numerous articles on culture, aesthetics and Middle Eastern issues for international journals, and is the author of many books in English, Arabic and French.

I first got to know her through the writers' organisation PEN and we often joined forces, most recently on publicising Lebanon Lebanon, a collection of writing and drawings from some of the world's leading authors with all proceeds from the anthology going to Lebanese children's charities.

We shared a passion for theatre and human rights, and could talk about either subject for hours on end. She invited me to write an essay on political theatre for an Arabic journal and in 2005 I helped her with publicity for a wonderful piece of theatre she wrote, directed and performed, Texterminators, at the Lyric Hammersmith theatre in London.

A warm and generous host whose dinner parties and book launches were equally welcoming, Mai was the sort of person who would always thrust some additional gift into your arms as you left - a particular bottle of Lebanese wine, or a set of espresso cups that you had admired. A vibrant personality, an eminent cultural force in publishing, a fine spokesperson for Lebanon, and a wonderful friend, it is still hard to believe that she has been taken from us.

Her untimely death is a tragedy and I know her family and friends will miss her terribly. Publishing will be a poorer place without her.